Up to this point, cones have been collected, transported, stored, pre-conditioned, and an evaluation performed on a random sample of cones. The cones are now ready for cone processing and seed extraction. Most species require that their cones be kilned (a process for drying of cones under controlled temperature and humidity to allow seed release without damaging seed viability). Though most species follow this pathway, some species are not kilned. Exceptions include: true firs, some of the exotic species and cones that have flexed and completed their seed release during the preconditioning treatment. When seedlots experience seed release prior to kilning, that unkilned portion is collected and kept separate from the rest of the seedlot. The released seed is then checked for moisture content and dried if necessary, packaged and moved to cool storage; this seed will be added to the balance of the seedlot after seed extraction is complete and the fractions have had their moisture contents equilibrated.

Prior to loading cones onto trays the exterior and interior cone sack labels are verified for agreement with the seedlot being processed. Cones are then moved to a handling line where they are spread thinly on trays. The trays are stacked and moved to a specially engineered cone kiln for overnight processing. During the kilning process, technicians monitor and control temperature and humidity set-points and trends. This ensures that the specific requirements of species or seedlots are met. The following morning, cones from each kilned seedlot are inspected to ensure that cone scales have reflexed sufficiently to allow for the release of seed.

The stacks of cone trays are then moved to the cone handling line where cones are fed through a continuous tumbling process to separate and capture seed from the cones. Equipment settings and cones are carefully monitored during processing to ensure that all potentially viable seed is removed from the cone and captured.

At the completion of cone processing, waste cone material is removed leaving a product of uncleaned seed. This seed is carefully packaged and labeled. At the completion of cone processing, waste cone material is removed leaving a product of uncleaned seed. This seed is carefully packaged and labeled. The Tree Seed Centre has the ability to process large or heavy volumes of cones on a 24-hour, seven day a week basis if required during a large cone crop.

Family processing

Many seed orchards collect cones by individual clone and some choose to have their clonal collections processed individually. The collections from an individual clone are considered a family as they have at least one parent (mother tree) in common. Family processing can increase seed yields due to the higher uniformity of the product and provides flexibility in seedlot construction to maximize genetic worth or area of use. The Tree Seed Centre offers family processing services and will store your seed by family until you are prepared to combine families and register a seedlot. For more information on family processing, please contact Dawn Stubley, Operations Supervisor .

Waste cones

A common question we receive is what do we do with the cones remaining following extraction of the seed. We generally have a contract in place for recovery of these cones by cone brokers or landscapers. For further information, please contact Heather Rooke, Manager of the Tree Seed Centre.